Full quadrant crop lifter for disc mower-conditioners

ABSTRACT

A disc mower-conditioner having a disc cutterbar with transversely spaced rotatable disc cutters to sever standing crop material by an impact action and a rotatable conditioning mechanism mounted rearwardly of the cutterbar to receive and condition severed crop material is disclosed wherein each disc cutter is provided with a crop lifter affixed to the peripheral portion of the disc cutter adjacent each knife in leading relationship thereto. The crop lifter has an inclined ramp extending substantially a full guadrant of the disc cutter and being operable to lift previously severed crop material away from the corresponding knife before the knife severs standing crop material and to feed the severed crop material into the conditioning mechanism. The top of the crop lifter is positioned in substantially the same plane as the raised central portion of the disc cutter for properly lifting the severed crop material toward the conditioning mechanism and for protecting the hardware detachably fastening the knife to the disc cutter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to disc mower-conditioners, andmore particularly, to crop lifters for the rotatable disc cuttermembers.

Mower-conditioners have been provided for a number of years to severstanding crop material and convey the severed crop material rearwardlyinto a conditioning mechanism without depositing the severed crop uponthe ground. A disc mower-conditioner utilizes a disc cutterbar having anumber of transversely spaced disc cutter members rotatable to severstanding crop material by an impact action. A conditioning mechanism ismounted rearwardly of the disc cutterbar to receive the severed cropmaterial directly from the disc cutter units without need of anintermediate crop conveying mechanism.

It has been found that certain crops, such as oats, rye, bluegrass andsorghum-sudan hybrids, when harvested by a disc mower-conditioner, havea tendency to build up in front of the disc cutters after being severed,resulting in a laying down of uncut crop material before it can besevered by the disc cutters. Under these conditions, the crop materialbeing cut leaves a long stubble. In addition, certain crops have atendency to feed under the lower conditioning roll after being severedand, thereby, escape the conditioning treatment. Assistance in feedingsevered crop into the conditioning mechanism is desirable. Furthermore,the rapid rotation of the disc cutters creates a high rate of wear underabrasive crop and/or soil conditions, subjecting the hardware detachablyconnecting the knives to the disc cutters to a great amount of wear,requiring frequent replacement of the knife fastening hardware.Furthermore, it is desirable to handle the severed crop material in asgentle a manner as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to overcome the aforementioneddisadvantages of the prior art by providing a crop lifter for the disccutter members of a disc mower-conditioner.

It is another object of this invention to protect the knife fasteninghardware from excessive wear by providing a protective crop lifter inleading relationship to the knife hardware.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a crop lifter toelevate severed crop material from the area in front of the disc cuttersbefore the knives can sever fresh crop material.

It is a feature of this invention that the trailing edge of the croplifter is in substantially the same plane as the raised central portionof the disc cutter.

It is another feature of this invention that the crop lifter can bedetachably affixed to the disc cutter.

It is an advantage of this invention that the crop lifter protects theknife hardware from abrasive wear.

It is still another feature of this invention that the knife hardwarecan be utilitzed to help detachably connect the crop lifter to the disccutter.

It is another advantage of this invention that the severed crop materialwill not build up in front of the disc cutters to hinder the severing ofstanding crop material.

It is still another advantage of this invention that the harvestingoperation of a disc mower-conditioner is made more efficient.

It is still another object of this invention to improve the feedingcharacteristics of severed crop material from the disc cutterbar to arearwardly mounted conditioning mechanism without utilization of anintermediate crop conveying mechanism.

It is a further advantage of this invention that the operative life ofthe disc cutters is increased by the use of crop lifters.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a crop lifter forrotatable disc cutters that impact a gentle, minimally aggressivelifting action to severed crop material.

It is yet another feature of this invention that the lifting ramps ofthe crop lifters extend for substantially a full quadrant of theperimeter of the disc cutter.

It is yet a further advantage of this invention that the severed cropmaterial is fed to the conditioning rolls with a crop lifting actionthat minimizes damage to the severed crop material.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a crop lifterfor the disc cutter members of a disc mower-conditioner that is durablein construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance,facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use.

These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplishedaccording to the instant invention by providing a disc mower-conditionerhaving a disc cutterbar with transversely spaced rotatable disc cuttersto sever standing crop material by an impact action and a rotatableconditioning mechanism mounted rearwardly of the cutterbar to receiveand condition severed crop material, wherein each disc cutter isprovided with a crop lifter affixed to the peripheral portion of thedisc cutter adjacent each knife in leading relationship thereto. Thecrop lifter has an inclined ramp extending substantially a full quadrantof the disc cutter and being operable to lift previously severed cropmaterial away from the corresponding knife before the knife seversstanding crop material and to feed the severed crop material into theconditioning mechanism. The top of the crop lifter is positioned insubstantially the same plane as the raised central portion of the disccutter for properly lifting the severed crop material toward theconditioning mechanism and for protecting the hardware detachablyfastening the knife to the disc cutter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages of this invention will become apparent upon considerationof the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially whentaken in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a disc mower-conditoner incorporating theprinciples of the instant invention, a portion of the draft member beingbroken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the disc mower-conditioner seen inFIG. 1 with portions being broken away to better show the environment ofthe invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a disc cutter member having onecrop lifter and knife attached thereto, the opposing crop lifter andknife being shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the disc cutter memberseen in FIG. 3, taken along lines 4--4, the view of the disc memberbeing split at the axis of rotation to better show the details ofconstruction;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan detail view of the crop lifter seen inFIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a leading side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a trailing side elevational view of the crop lifter takenalong lines 7--7 of FIG. 5, the corresponding portions of the disccutter member, the knife and attaching hardware being shown in phantom;

FIG. 8 is a peripheral side elevational view of the crop lifter takenalong lines 8--8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a radially inward side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 9--9 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a disc cutter member, similar to the viewseen in FIG. 3, but being provided with an alternative crop lifterembodiment;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the crop lifter seen in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a trailing side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 12--12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a leading side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 13--13 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a peripheral side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 14--14 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a radially inward side elevational view of the crop liftercorresponding to lines 15--15 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a disc cutter member integrallyincorporating crop lifting ramp portions;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged top plan view of the disc cutter member seen inFIG. 16, the position of one of the knives being shown in phantom;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the disc cutter member seen in FIG.17 taken along lines 18--18;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a disc cutter member similar to theview of FIG. 16 but with the ramp portions being equipped withreplaceable wear members;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of one of the wear members seen in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a peripheral side elevational view of the wear member seen inFIG. 20, corresponding to lines 21--21;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a disc cutter member similar to theview seen in FIG. 19, but with the ramp portions being equipped with analternative embodiment of a replaceable wear member;

FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the wear member seen in FIG. 22; and

FIG. 24 is a trailing side elevational view of the wear membercorresponding to lines 24--24 of FIG. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a top planview of a hay harvesting machine, commonly referred to as a discmower-conditioner can be seen. Any left and right references are used asa matter of convenience and are determined by standing at the rear ofthe mower-conditioner, facing the forward end, the direction of travel.The mower-conditioner 10 is shown in the form of a pull-type machinehaving a draft member 12 pivotably connected to the frame 14 of themachine 10. The frame 14 includes a main transverse support beam 15 towhich are connected downwardly depending legs 17 mounting wheels 18 formobilely supporting the machine 10 over the ground G, as best seen inFIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the mower-conditioner 10 includes a cropharvesting header 20 floatingly supported for movement with the ground Grelative to the frame 14 by the counter balancing mechanism 22 and upperand lower links 23,24 interconnecting the header 20 and the frame 14.The header 20 is provided with a crop cutting mechanism 25, seen in theform of a disc cutterbar 26, such as a Kuhn three meter, six rotorrotary cutterbar, having a plurality of transversely spaced disc cuttermembers 28 operable to sever standing crop material by an impact action.A conditioning mechanism 30 is mounted in the header 20 rearwardly ofthe cutting mechanism 25 to receive and condition crop material severedby the cutterbar 26.

The conditioning mechanism 30 included a pair of cooperable, generallyvertically spaced transverse conditioning rolls 32,34 operable tocondition severed crop material passing therebetween. Each roll 32,34 isrotatably supported between the header side sheets 21 such that the axisof rotation 33 of the upper conditioning roll 32 is spaced slightlyforwardly of the axis of rotation 35 of the lower conditioning roll 34,so that the nip 37 formed therebetween is facing slightly downwardlytoward the disc cutterbar 26. The preferred embodiment of theconditioning roll construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of theintermeshing lug design. A conventional drive mechanism 39 provides asource of rotational power to both the disc cutterbar 26 and theconditioning mechanism 30.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the disc cutter members 28 can best beseen. Although the transversely opposed endmost disc cutter members 28,as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, are provided with a truncated cone 29 toprovide a more aggressive crop conveying action, each of the remaininginterior disc cutters 40 will have a construction as shown in FIGS. 3and 4. Each disc member 40 includes a raised central portion 41 in whichare formed recessed mounting holes 42 for connection of the disc 40 to adriving member (not shown) in a conventional manner. The axis ofrotation 43 of the disc cutter 40 is positioned in the center of theraised central portion 41. The disc cutter member 40 also includes alower peripheral portion 44 terminating in a peripheral edge 46extending around the circumference of the oval shaped disc member 40.

Each disc cutter 40 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposedknives 45 detachably connected to the peripheral portion 44 by fasteners47. Upon rotation of the disc cutter 40, the knives 45 sever standingcrop material by an impact action. The disc member 40 also includes anintermediate sloped portion 48 interconnecting the raised centralportion 41 and the lower peripheral portion 44. A crop lifter 50 isshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as attached to the peripheral portion 44 of thedisc member 40 adjacent to each knife 45 and in leading relationshipthereto, when viewed in the direction of rotation of the disc member 40,indicated by the arrow 49. The crop lifter 50 is detachably connected tothe disc member 40 by the knife fastener 47 and a second fastener 52extending through an opening 53 in the intermediate sloped portion 48 ofthe disc member 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-9, the details of the crop lifter 50 can bestbe seen. The crop lifter 50 includes a lower leading edge 54 and araised trailing edge 56 interconnected by an inclined ramp portion 55. Arecessed connecting portion 57 is affixed to the trailing edge 56 toprovide a means for connecting the lifter 50 to the disc member 40. Asis best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the connecting portion 57 is shaped tocorrespond to the peripheral and intermediate sloped portions 44,48 ofthe disc member 40 to which the lifter 50 is attached. The connectingportion 57 is recessed sufficiently below the trailing edge 56 to permitthe connecting hardware 47,52 to be protected behind the crop lifter 50.The connecting portion 57 is provided with spacers 58 to facilitate atight mounting connection of the lifter 50 onto the disc member 40.Along the peripheral edge of the lifter 50, the inclined ramp portion 55is provided with an apron 59 extending circumferentially from theleading edge 54 to the trailing edge 56 and vertically from the inclinedramp portion 55 downwardly to the lower peripheral portion 44 of thedisc member 40. The purpose of the apron 59 is to lend rigidity andsupport to the inclined ramp portion 55 and to prevent a buildup ofdebris between the lifter 50 and the disc member 40.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the height of the trailing edge 56 of the lifter50 is in approximately the same plane as the height of the raisedcentral portion 41 of the disc member 40. The positioning of the lifter50 in leading relationship to the corresponding knife 45 permits thelifter 50 to protect the mounting hardware 47 for the knife 45 fromabrasive wear. The inclined ramp portion 55 provides an aggressivelifting action to previously severed crop material to lift such materialfrom the immediately trailing cutting zone for the corresponding knife45. This lifting action helps prevent severed crop material from passingbeneath the conditioning mechanism 30 and also helps to feed thesevererd crop material into the nip 37 of the conditioning rolls 32,34to effect a conditioning thereof. One skilled in the art will readilyrealize that the lifter 50 will be subject to abrasive wear from thetypical cutting conditions in which rotary cutterbars are normally used;however, the detachably connected lifter 50 can easily be replaced toextend the operative life of the more expensive disc member 40. Thereplacement of the lifter 50 can be accomplished at a significant costsavings when compared to a replacement of the entire disc member 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-15, a second crop lifter embodiment 60 can beseen. The crop lifter 60 is somewhat similar to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 3-9. The lifter 60 includes a leading edge 62, a trailing edge 64,and an inclined ramp 65 interconnecting the leading and trailing edges62,64. A recessed connecting portion 66 with appropriate spacers 67detachably connect the trailing edge 64 of the lifter 60 to the lowerand intermediate sloped portions 44,48 of the disc member 40 with theconnecting hardware 47,52. The leading edge 62 of the lifter 60 isprovided with a restraining pin 68 engageable with a correspondingopening appropriately positioned within the intermediate sloped portion48. The restraining pin 68 restricts the movement of the leading edge 62and helps locate the position of the lifter 60 relative to peripheraledge 46 of the disc member 40.

The inclined ramp 65 extends for substantially an entire quadrant of theperipheral portion 44 of the disc member 40, such that the orientationof the leading edge 62 is disposed at approximately 90 degrees to theorientation of the trailing edge 64. The width of the inclined ramp 65increases from the leading edge 62 to the trailing edge 64, creating apork-chop-like shape. This longer, gradually sloping ramp 65 provides amore gradual lifting of the severed crop material, to create a lessaggressive crop lifting action than will be obtained from the croplifter 50 described above. The provision of the peripheral apron 69extending circumferentially from the leading edge 62 to the trailingedge 64 and vertically between the inclined ramp 65 and the peripheraledge 46 of the disc cutter 40 lends support to the inclined ramp 65 andprevents the entrance of crop material and/or other debris into thecavity formed between the inclined ramp 65 and the disc member 40. Aswith the lifter 50, the highest point of the lifter 60 is at thetrailing edge 64, which preferably should extend to substantially thesame plane as the raised central portion 41. The connecting portion 66is recessed sufficiently to permit the raised trailing edge 64 toprotect the connecting hardware 47,52.

Referring now to FIGS. 16-18, a new disc cutter member 70 integrallyincorporating lifting ramps 75 can be seen. The central portion 71corresponding to the axis of rotation of the disc member 70 is raisedand is provided with recessed mounting holes 72 for conventionalattachment to a driving member (not shown). The oval-shaped disc member70 is defined by a circumferential peripheral edge 74. Circumferentiallyopposed along the major axis of the oval-shaped disc member 70 are knifemounting holes 77 formed in a lower trench-like portion 76 defining abottom plane 81 of the disc member 70 disposed below an upper plane 73defined by the raised central portion 71. The knife mounting holes 77are provided with protection collars 78 having a countersunk opening 79formed therein to provide greater protection for the knife mountinghardware 47.

The disc member 70 is provided with a lower peripheral portion 82 atcircumferentailly opposed positions along the minor axis of the discmember 70. The lower peripheral portions 82 are displaced 90 degreesaround the circumference 74 of the disc member 70 from the knifemounting hole 77. The lower peripheral portions 82 are positioned in thebottom plane 81 with the trench portion 76. From each lower peripheralportion 82, an inclined ramp 75 extends toward each knife mounting hole77. Each inclined ramp 75 terminates in a raised trailing edge 84extending to or near the upper plane 73 defined by the raised centralportion 71. The trailing edges 84 can be positioned slightly below theupper plane 73 to accommodate the attachment of wear plates 90, as willbe described in further detail below with respect to FIGS. 19-24.

The vertical sides 86 extend from the trailing edges 84 downwardly tothe lower trench portion 76, thereby defining the sides of the trenchportion 76, to lend additional protection to the knife hardware 47.Since the disc member 70 is provided with four opposingly directedlifting ramps 75, one skilled in the art will readily realize that thedisc member 70 can be mounted on the cutterbar 26 for rotation in eitherthe clockwise or counterclockwise directions during operation. With thelifting ramps 75 extending for substantially an entire quadrant of theperipheral edge of the disc member 70, the disc member 70 will impart agentle, less aggressive action to the severed crop material to clear thecutting path for the associated knife 45.

As can be seen in FIGS. 19-24, the disc member 70 can be provided withwear plates 90 affixed to the leading lifting ramps 75, when viewed inthe direction of rotation indicated by the arrow 89. As best seen inFIGS. 19-21, one embodiment of the wear plate 90 will comprise apork-chop-shaped flat plate affixed to the leading lifting ramps 75 byfasteners 92 engaged with appropriate holes 94 formed in the liftingramp 75. Since the leading ramp 75 will be subjected to the greatestamount of abrasive wear during operation of the disc member 70, theutilization of replaceable wear plates 90 will provide a greatereconomic and operative life for the disc member 70. As indicated abovewith respect to FIG. 18, the trailing edge 94 of the wear plate 90 wouldposition the resulting trailing edge 84 of the lifting ramp 75 insubstantially the same plane 73 as the raised central portion 71 of thedisc member 70.

An alternative embodiment of the wear plate 90 can be seen in FIGS.22-24. The wear plate 90 includes a generally vertically extending apron96 positioned along the peripheral edge of the wear plate 90. The apron96 would present a solid face to the severed crop material to be liftedby the ramps 75, upon rotation of the disc member 70 to prevent cropmaterial and/or other debris from being jammed underneath the liftingramp 75 and also to protect the vertical sides 86 of the trench portion76 from abrasive wear.

It will be understood that changes in the details, material, steps andarrangement of parts which have been described and illustrated toexplain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made bythose skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within theprinciples and scope of the invention. The foregoing descriptionillustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however,concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in otherembodiments without department from the scope of the invention.Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the inventionbroadly as well as in the specific form shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
 1. In a disc mower-conditioner having a mobile frame adapted for forward movement over the ground; rotary cutting means supported by said frame adjacent the ground to sever standing crop material, said rotary cutting means including a transverse cutterbar rotatably mounting a plurality of transversely spaced disc cutters having knives operable to sever standing crop material upon rotation of said cutters, each said knife being detachably connected to said disc cutter by a knife fastener, each said disc cutter having a raised central portion and a lower peripheral portion terminating in a circumferential peripheral edge; crop conditioning means mounted generally rearwardly of said rotary cutting means to condition crop material severed by said disc cutters, the improvement comprising:an inclined ramp crop lifter affixed to each said disc cutter adjacent said knife in leading relationship thereto, as seen looking in the direction of rotation of said disc cutter, to lift previously severed crop material away from said knife before severing said standing crop material, said inclined ramp crop lifter having an inclined ramp portion extending substantially a quadrant of said peripheral edge of said disc cutter to create a generally gradual slope to said inclined ramp, said inclined ramp portion extending from a lower leading edge to a raised trailing edge, the radially extending width of said inclined ramp portion generally increasing from said leading edge to said trailing edge, each said crop lifter being detachably connected to the respective said disc cutter by the corresponding said knife fastener, said leading edge of said crop lifters being provided with a restraining pin engageable with said disc cutter to restrict the movement of said leading edge, said inclined ramp crop lifter further including a generally vertical apron extending peripherally from said leading edge to said trailing edge and generally vertically from said inclined ramp portion to said disc cutter.
 2. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 1 wherein said trailing edge is affixed to a lowered connecting portion for detachably connecting said crop lifter to the respective said disc cutter.
 3. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 1 wherein said trailing edge of said crop lifters is in substantially the same place as said raised central portion of said disc cutters.
 4. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 3 wherein each said disc cutter is provided with two diametrically opposed knives and a crop lifter corresponding to each said knife.
 5. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 3 wherein said connecting portion of said crop lifters is positioned relative to said raised trailing edge such that said knife fasteners connecting said crop lifters to said disc cutters is at a height lower than said trailing edge so that said crop lifter protects said knife fastener from wear.
 6. In a disc mower-conditioner having a mobile frame adapted for forward movement over the ground; rotary cutting means supported by said frame adjacent the ground to sever standing crop material, said rotary cutting means including a transverse cutterbar rotatably mounting a plurality of transversely spaced disc cutters having operable to sever standing crop material upon rotation of said cutters, each said disc cutter having a raised central portion and a lower peripheral portion terminating in a circumferential peripheral edge; crop conditioning means mounted generally rearwardly of said rotary cutting means to condition crop material severed by said disc cutters, the improvement comprising:an inclined ramp crop lifter affixed to each said disc cutter adjacent said knife in leading relationship thereto as seen looking in the direction of rotation of said disc cutter, to lift previously severed crop material away from said knife before severing said standing crop material, said inclined ramp crop lifter having an inclined ramp portion extending substantially a quadrant of said peripheral edge of said disc cutter from a lower leading edge to a raised trailing edge to create a generally gradual slope to said inclined ramp and an apron extending peripherally from said leading edge to said trailing edge and generally vertically from said inclined ramp portion to said disc cutter.
 7. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 6 wherein said inclined ramp portion has a radially extending width which increases from said leading edge to said trailing edge.
 8. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 7 wherein said knives are detachably connected to the respective disc cutters by knife fasteners, each crop lifter being connected to said disc cutter by the corresponding said knife fastener.
 9. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 8 wherein said leading edge of said crop lifters is provided with a restraining pin engageable with said disc cutter to restrict the movement of said leading edge.
 10. The disc mower-conditioner of claim 9 wherein said connecting portion of said crop lifters is positioned relative to said raised trailing edge such that said knife fasteners connecting said crop lifters to said disc cutters is at a height lower than said trailing edge so that said crop lifter protects said knife fastener from wear. 